This invention concerns an attachment for a rotary power mower, and more particularly relates to an attachment intended to replace the normal cutting blade of a rotary mower, thereby imparting to said mower the ability to rake leaves and grass trimmings.
Rotary power mowers, generally driven by a gasoline-powered engine are in widespread use for the cutting of lawn grasses to a selected uniform height. It is well known to equip such mowers with collecting means which capture and retain grass cuttings, leaves or other debris, said capture being achieved by virtue of entrainment of the debris in the airstream generated by the rapidly rotating blade of the mower.
In attempts to adapt the power mower to other tasks, modifications have been disclosed enabling the mower to mulch leaves and to remove accumulated grass cuttings and leaves, generally called thatch, from the ground in which the grass is rooted. In such mower modifications, however, the mulched leaves or thatch is deposited upon the grass, and necessitates a separate raking operation. Cutting, mulching and thatch-removal operations required high power levels which are generally produced by high rotational speed of the mower blade. Not only does the high power level consume increased quantities of gasoline, but the high speed of the blade engenders safety problems. Furthermore, in the case of thatch-removing devices, the metal prongs generally utilized are susceptible to breaking at high rotational speeds, such broken parts becoming dangerous missiles.
Lawn sweeper devices have been disclosed which recover and accumulate lawn debris for convenient disposal. However, such specialized equipment and its requisite storage facilities add to the cost of lawn maintenance.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an attachment for a rotary power mower which will enable said mower to accumulate lawn debris at a low rotational speed.
It is another object of this invention to provide an attachment as in the foregoing object which temporarily replaces the rotary blade of the mower and adjustably fits mowers of various sizes.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment of the aforesaid nature which imparts a rake-like capability to said mower whereby lawn debris is collected at a relatively low power requirement.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a raking attachment for a rotary power mower of simple and rugged construction which may be economically manufactured.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.